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Pre-installed Software and Performance

Our evaluation system came equipped with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, the best choice for a computer running 4GB or more system memory. Being the first HP notebook we have reviewed in quite some time, we didn't know what to expect in terms of bundled software.

What I found was an abundance of HP MediaSmart software that I wouldn't hesitate to remove. Other questionable software includes Stardock MyColors, Stardock LogonStudio, Norton Internet Security, MSN Toolbar and Hulu Desktop. Fortunately there were some useful full software suites installed, most notably Corel Paint Shop Photo Pro X3, Corel VideoStudio Pro X3, Cyberlink DVD Suite and a copy of Microsoft 2010 Starter.

HP has also included Stardock's Fences on the Envy 14, a program we featured some time ago that allows you to organize desktop icons and even hide them by double-clicking on the desktop, resulting in a clutter-free home screen. You'll probably want to revert back to the Windows Aero theme as the default HP theme is horrible. The color scheme is less-than-attractive and the icon set is difficult to decipher (file and folder icons look nearly identical), but other than that we like the inclusion of this particular title.

The Envy 14 features Intel's Turbo Boost technology, which is built into Core i5 and i7 chips and is designed to better manage workloads by dynamically adjusting individual processor core speeds when more processing power is needed.

Intel is quick to point out that this is not overclocking as the processor still runs within its spec. This particular CPU runs at 2.40 GHz but can go as high as 2.66 GHz with Turbo Boost -- an increase of 266 MHz. The increase isn't too substantial, but every bit helps when certain applications are not designed to effectively use multi-core processors. Turbo Boost is handled by the processor and regulated by the operating system, so you may not even notice the shift.

We ran a series of benchmarks to show how the HP Envy 14's processor, hard drive and memory perform under load. Turbo Boost was enabled for every test and the results are shown below.